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Communication-A brief overviewBy: Nadia Rahman

Importance of CommunicationThe five most important skills recruiters look for when hiring college and university students.#5 Teamwork#4 Critical thinking & leadership#3 Interpersonal/social#2 Computer literacy#1 Oral and written communicationCommunication DefinedCommunication stems from the Latin root word communicare, which means to make common.A process in which one person or group evokes an identical meaning in a second person or group.Defining communication is relatively simple, but achieving high-quality communication is both complicated and difficult.Importance of Oral CommunicationHarvard Business Review rated the ability to communicate the most important factor in making an executive promotable.

20 years research proved at Stanford University that the most successful graduates shared personality traits that distinguish good communicators: a desire to persuade, an interest in taking and working with people.William Schaffer (international business development manager of Sun Micro Systems) stated If theres one skill thats required for success in the industry, its communication skills.

Communication SkillsWhy do you need good communication skills?Ch. 16

Why is business communication important to individuals and organizations?

Business Communication is Important to

Enhance your self-esteemBecome an effective employeeAdvance in your careerPositively affect an organizations successGoals of Business CommunicationReceiver understanding as the sender meant it to be understoodReceiver response receiver responds to the messageFavorable relationship establishes a strong business relationshipOrganizational goodwill the receiver feels a good feeling toward the organizationThe Process of CommunicationCh. 19ReceiverunderstandsmessageSenderhasideaPossible additionalfeedback toreceiverSenderencodesmessageReceiverdecodesmessageChannel carries messageFeedbacktravels tosenderNOISENOISECOMMUNICATION IS REPRESENTED BY:10% WORDS WHAT WE SAY30% SOUNDS TONE60% BODY LANGUAGE HOW WE SAY IT

KEY TO SUCCESSWHAT YOU SAYHOW YOU SAYNON-VERBAL COMMUNICATIONKINESISBody languageFACIAL EXPRESSIONSPersonal AppearancePOSTUREPARALANGUAGELAUGHINGSPEECH RATEVOLUMEYAWNINGVOICE QUALITYPITCHNon-Verbal CommunicationWhy dont you do it?

Why dont you do it?

Why dont you do it?

Why dont you do it?

PERSONAL DISTANCE

TIMESILENCE16Channels of communicationInternal communication

External communicationInternal communication

The importance of internal communications

Internal communication is indeed necessary in everybusiness. The ability to identify important information, respond accordingly and share theinformation with the relevant individual or group in an organization is a skill all staff members in a company must possess.Internal Communication Toolkit by Jessica Hume (2010),

Internal communication is significant in any organization because it is the building block of the organizational culture.Internal Organizational CommunicationINTERNAL COMMUNICATIONDownward communicationinformation that flows from higher to lower levels in the organizations hierarchyproblems:information overload lack of openness - withhold information even if sharing is importantfiltering - some information is left out of a message can be distorted by adding personal interpretationthe fewer the number of authority levels through which communication must pass, the less information will be lost or distortedUPWARD COMMUNICATIONUpward communication: process of systematically encouraging lower-level employees to share with management their feelings and ideas.151515UPWARD COMMUNICATION (continued)Types of Upward Communications

Formal grievance proceduresEmployee attitude and opinion surveysSuggestion systemsOpen-door policyInformal meetingsInternet chat roomsExit interviews161616

Internal Organizational Communication (cont.)Horizontal communicationinformation sharing among people on the same hierarchical level has several important functions

allows sharing of information among unitshelps solve conflictsprovides social and emotional support to peoplecreates a culture of openness, honesty, trust, and mutual obligationChannel Factors

Formal Communication11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of CommunicationPresidentVicePresidentVicePresidentManagerManagerManagerManagerEfforts at coordinationInformationInstructions and directives Copyright 2002 by Prentice Hall, Inc.Organizational Charts

Centralized NetworksOne central person

Unequal access to information

Central person is at the crossroads of the information flow27Transition:Formal networks:planned structure of organizational communicative relationships-> optimal task fulfilment [2, 77]- management defines all the relationships between an employee and his colleagues which are necessary in order to do his work

Two categories:Centralized networks:members can communicate with only one central person through which all information must pass unequal access to information: individuals at the centres have access to more information than those at the periphery - central person who is at the crossroads of the information flow

Communication Structures Centralized 11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of Communication28Structures within the organization chartse.g. the y in the organization chartsome of the possible configurations of connections between people - the way communication networks are actually planned- circles represent individuals- lines represent two-way lines of communication

- example of formal communication within a hierarchy such as in the police force or civil force Communication Structures Centralized11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of CommunicationWheel29- one group, person or department occupies a central position- e.g. head office communicating with salespeople in different regions Decentralized NetworksInformation can flow freely

No central person

All members play an equal role in the transmittal of information11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of Communication30information can freely flow between members without going through a central person equal access to information - all members play an equal role in the transmittal of information Communication StructuresDecentralized11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of CommunicationCircle31- sections or departments can communicate with only two others- e.g. between middle managers from different departments at the same level of the organisation- problem: decision-making can be slow or poor because of a lock of coordination Communication Structures De centralized11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of Communication32- may be used for small working groups- open communication system- good for brainstorming- disadvantage: slow (Internal)Informal Communication Structures

Deviation from the planned communication structure

Direction of the flow of information is less organized

11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of Communication33Informal Communicationdeviation from the planned communication structuree.g. the direction of the flow of information may be changed, top-down communication turns into a reciprocal communicatione.g. leaving out people in the communication linee.g. integrating people into the communication line

Iin Informal Networks11/18/2003YDCBAChainAJBDHIKFGECGossipAFBDJHCEKGIXProbabilityACDFJIBClusterMcGraw-Hill34- Informal Networks:- consist of interaction patterns that are not designed by managementcan be based on physical proximity, shared career interests or personal friendships

article about the exchange of email in an organization (E-mail reveals real leaders)used e-mail exchanges to build a map of the structure of an organization The map shows the teams in which people actually work, as opposed to those they are assigned to unofficial de facto leaders can also emerge big institutions tend to divide organically into informal collaborative networks, called communities of practice -> companies informal structurethe communities often crossed the formal departmental boundaries defined by the company

- chain:every member passes on information, but to just one person - gossipone person passes on information to all the others that he encounters- probability chainno structureA is very talkative and outgoing type, passes on information to random contacts - clusterinformation is passed on to selected personsmost common patternselectivity: pass on information to people with whom you are in close contact

Informal Organization1Formal and Informal Channels of Communication

Formal Structure vs Informal Networks Formal and Informal Channels of Communication

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Grapevinea secret means of spreading or receiving information.

the informal transmission of (unofficial) information, gossip or rumor from person-to-person.a rumor: unfounded report.while the grapevine generally carries the truth it seldom carries the whole truth

11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of CommunicationGrapevine Characteristicsoral mostly undocumentedopen to changefast (hours instead of days)crossing organizational boundaries

11/18/2003Formal and Informal Channels of CommunicationHow to manage grapevinemanagers need to work with the grapevinetalk to the key peopleprevent rumors from startingneutralize rumors once they have started

Grapevine PatternsCOMMUNICATIONSStakeholders

Shareholders

Internal Customers

Channels MediaGovernmentPublicStock markets AnalystsInvestorsEXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONCrisis CommunicationTo anticipate problems and solve them.How likely to happen?

How bad if it happens?

E.g.LaysIodineDominoesRisk Communication StagesWatch out!! Calm down!! Well get through this together. (crisis communication)43

Southwest airline

Barriers to effective communicationNoiseIncorrect FilteringSelective perceptionPoor listeningDiffering Emotional states LanguageDiffering backgroundInformation overloadMessage complexityLack of interestInadequate communication structureClosed communication climateUnethical communication

How to overcome barriers to communicationApply KISS principle:

KKeepIitSshortSsimpleHow to overcome barriers to communication.(cont.)Be an active & attentive listener: Apply HURIER model i.e. Hearing, Understanding, Remembering, Interpreting, Evaluating and Responding.

Obtain feedback

Perspectives in CommunicationWorld, person and situationVisual perception

Language: A woman without her man is nothing.A woman: Without her, man is nothing

Words have no meaning, people have meaning

Prejudice: (culture+past experience) Past experiences what influences you to do something depends on your past experiencesFeelingsEnvironment